DEVOTIONAL
“ I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”
Galatians 2:20 NASBS
Christian, blessed be the God of heaven who took our vile estate, our hearts that were joined to wickedness and cast it upon His blessed Son, Jesus Christ, Who has saved us to the uttermost. “Jesus was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.” Because of the sovereign Grace of God, Who influenced our wicked heart through the Holy Spirit bestowing grace upon us, we turned from sin, that was woven into the fabric of our nature by birth, to His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.” Now because of our union with Christ we no longer bear fruit to wickedness, but unto God. Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” Octavius Winslow pens concerning this subject, “Oh, what precious fruit does such a living branch bear! It bears a broken heart; a contrite spirit; mourning over sin; low, abasing, humbling views of self; the venturing by faith to a full, mighty, willing Savior; the abandonment of self, and resting in His all-atoning work and all-satisfying righteousness.”
Therefore brethren, let us not walk after the flesh, nor let our mind dwell upon the things of the flesh, for we are a new creation and our lives are not our own. Our spirit now testifies with the Holy Spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ. Though suffering and persecution come our way, never forget that we are only foreigners passing through a darkened land. “For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” So then Christian, just as you have obeyed the gospel of Jesus Christ, do not let your heart be troubled, but stand firm on the unshakable ground of the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Though the earth shakes, the fires rage, and the mighty wind blows, do not fear, but cry out as the Apostle Paul, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” May God give you the grace to keep yourself unstained from this world and to fall deeper in love with Him each day.